Dan M Lee, Adventure Photographer and author of [Creative Photography](https://amzn.to/3frXVt1), is joining the ranks of patent-holding game designers, and his game is for photographers. After the news, we get into the mechanics of the game, [Camera Caper](https://cameracaper.com/), and how you can sign up as a beta tester.

The news itself includes the #GoDaddyDown incident (or should I say** this year's** GoDaddy failure). Why do we put up with them?

Also the launch of the [DJI Mini 2](https://click.dji.com/AIws5fXfF8gRSpyNU2HZ_g?pm=link&as=0021), though if you'd rather see an impartial review with footage shot in real-world conditions check [Adam's YouTube Review](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSiaHq78Ky4).

Oh, and we invent a book competition as we go. You need one of these books to win the other:

[Creative Photography ](https://amzn.to/3frXVt1)(by Dan)

[Instagram Photography](https://amzn.to/3nM2eCw) (by Adam)

Melissa Robinson ([@Foreverseen](https://www.instagram.com/foreverseen/?hl=en)) joins the Covid Street team in our special series.

Melissa's story is striking because she's travelled so far, and done so much, only to find herself having to make yet another creative change because of the onset of Covid and the lockdown.

Undeterred she has masked up and set out to volunteer in Williamsburg, New York (just North of Brooklyn) and has even captured that shooting and volunteering experience on a body-camera.

She's also managed to capture some great lockdown images of New York, including a Grand Central station in which the pigeons have taken over.

It seems nothing can stop her.

For some of the images, **please visit the [podcast episode page](https://notthegear.com/ep-14-–-forever-seen-on-the-streets/).**

You can also find the video for Mel's body-cam volunteering discussed in the podcast.

Guest Jacopo Rufo joins us from Italy as we explore the impact of Covid on photographers around the world.

Tom Clabots, co-founder of CovidStreet, returns to join co-hosts Adam and Tanya in what is the second of a series linked to the [Covid Street](https://notthegear.com/covid-street-photography-standing-united/) project, which is also celebrating a major milestone.

In this episode, just some of the treats are:

* Pigeons v Air Rifles v Lockdown

* Musings on humanity will react to lockdown lifting

* The advantages of renting gear

Joining Adam Juniper & Dan M Lee this week is special guest JR DeSouza of [Outex](https://store.outex.com/?ref=danmleephoto), the camera waterproofing system comapny. Between JR and Dan we discover a few surprising things about the 'camera condom,' including it's uses in the Covid crisis.

We also explore setting the experience of setting up [Outex](https://store.outex.com/?ref=danmleephoto), a camera equipment company built by camera enthusiasts, including the benefits (or otherwise) of running a Kickstarter.

Finally we round off with a book give away of Dan's latest book, [Creative Photography: The Professional Edge](https://amzn.to/2VJoIrc). To take part in that, simply sign up to the email list here.

(Note: There was a technical issue with the sound for downloads in the first couple of days, this has now been resolved.)

The photographer we discuss around the 12 minute mark as having died from Covid was Anthony Causi, a highly skilled and exceedingly popular sports photographer for The New York Post who covered the city's teams for 25 years, who was aged 48.

[@Covidstreet](https://bit.ly/cvidst)

The Covid crisis is unlike anything before it; global, terrifying, and with the potential to leave an earthshattering legacy which outlasting even the harm the virus itself causes. We don't even know how far it'll spread, or what it'll do, but already some are talking about saddling the next generation with the cost.

As photographers we cannot take up work at a field hospital, but [@Covidstreet](https://bit.ly/cvidst) is something we not only can do, but might regret if we didn't. At Tanya Nagar's suggestion, myself and Tom Clabots have joined forces to found Covid Street, a project by which street photographers can share thier work, their experiences, and, ultimately, to create a book to raise money for those recovering from the covid.

In this special episode, we discuss exactly how we hope to do that, how far we've got already (again, please follow the Instagram account), and how you can join in.

## Links

### The Instagram Account

[Covidstreet](https://www.instagram.com/covidstreet/)

### Mission Statement

Mission Statement for [Covid Street Photography](https://notthegear.com/covid-street-photography-standing-united/).

### The Instagram Book

[52 Assignments: Instagram Photography](https://amzn.to/2ybp3e8)

by Adam Juniper, featuring Tanya Nagar on page 64/65.

### The Winogrand Post

Is Winogrand's shooting style acceptable in this day an age? [This is the post we mention](https://notthegear.com/why-winogrand-might-not-have-hated-instagram-after-all/), and it address the point nearer the end.

### The Political Podcast Adam Mentioned...

...is called "That Option No Longer Exists" – search in your favourite Pod app or [go here](https://podiant.co/podcasts/thatoptionnolongerexists/).

Professional photograpgher Dan M Lee, and photograpy writer Adam Juniper discuss the latest developments in the news. OK, the one development. And its impact on photography events.

After some inevitable banter – don't worry, agressively edited – we get down to offering some ideas for how you could use your down time to become a better photographer with lower monthly outgoings.

We also take a look at the Sony World Photography Awards. Given his views on competitions, it could be interesting!

Adam and Dan go deep into key subjects this week, including "How Close is Too Close" sparked by Fuji dropping a brand ambassador for breaking this protocol, as well as what Focal Length is good for Street Photography and – for those of a more commercial perspective – a beginners guide to SEO for Photographers.

Oh, and there's a fart joke in the outtakes!

# News Items

* Is Vanity Fair still a thing? Adam is amazed to discover it is, but in any case the exhibition of its past is well worth

* 8.25 - Dan's Event Suggestions

* 23.15 – Adam's reviews a drone that can land on water and we talk about the partial ban on Chinese drones in the US

* 34.40 – Tatsuo Suzuki dropped for getting too close ([PetaPixel](http://https://petapixel.com/2020/02/08/fujifilm-drops-ambassador-after-his-street-shooting-style-sparks-outcry/))

# Creative Section

* 45:10 - Best Focal Length for Street Photography

# Pro Advice

* 54:20 - SEO for Photographers

There are a lot of questions this time, starting right off in the news section. We take a serious look at the supposed advantages of the new [Leica M10 Monochrom](https://uk.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/LEICA-M-MONOCHROM), a digital camera that can only shoot in black and white.

## Is it too easy to shoot models?

Following the PetaPixel reposting of MissyMwac's [Tumbler think-piece about photographing models](https://missymwac.tumblr.com/post/190391721530/i-dont-want-to-photograph-models) (basically she prefers dealing with imprefections), Dan has some thoughts to get off his chest. Who's side will you come down on?

[@MissyMwac](https://twitter.com/MissyMWAC)

## Caravaning Photographers

We were directed to the story of Christian Schaffer by [@PixelVixenUK](http://instagram.com/pixelvixenuk), so thanks. Schaffer is an adventure photographer who has a habit of living in vans, and she's been showing off her latest acquisition in [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=ryPBLk90xEQ&feature=emb_logo) on YouTube. But is it all just a bit of a publicity stunt (yes, Dan and Adam are English, which makes cynicism part of our DNA).

## The Not The Gear Debate Kicks Off

Adam proposes that an iPhone (or indeed any phone) can be an acceptable subsitute for a camera. Professional photographer Dan finds it difficult to agree. Believe us, this deate is going to run and run, but here we take our first swings.

## How Photographers Can Stay Fresh

Some practical tips Dan has learend from day-to-day professional work to fight off burnout.

# Blooper

Was it even funny enough? Probably not!

Dan M Lee is back and, after we cover all the news from CES (yes, sorry, a bit of gear-chat), we get right into one of the hot topics of the day – can we trust online reviews?

In the meat of the show, we learn what Dan has been doing since his last appearance on the show, discuss ideas to keep creative in the new year, and ways professionals (and aspiring professionals) can make their workflow more efficient.

We also get to find out what's happened to Dan's knee, and whether he upset any crime syncicates.

## Links

[That DJI Influencers article](https://mediakix.com/blog/how-dji-markets-with-top-youtubers-for-drone-release/) (intersting to learn about things from the company's perspective).

## Dan

[Dan M Lee](https://www.danmleephotography.com)

[Dan on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/danmleephotography/)

[Creative Photography: The Professional Edge book](https://amzn.to/30xCGhP)

## Adam

[Adam on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/juniperific/?hl=en)

##About us ([on the site](https://notthegear.com/about/))

Which will probably be finished soon. Honest.

We promised it, and we delivered.

Straight back in from the end of the previous Episode 5 – go back and listen in the podcast episode of your choice first if you haven't already – we continue hearing about Tanya's trip to India, taking in Varanasi, Bodh Gaya, and some classic street photographer's dilemas.

Here are the images we discuss this time: